Kalkaji Election Result 2025: AAP's Atishi trails, BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri ahead

Atishi, Delhi's youngest chief minister, sought re-election from Kalkaji in 2025 after stepping into the role in 2024.

Atishi of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is trailing in early trends against her closest rival Ramesh Bidhuri of the Bharatiya Janata Party from the Kalkaji seat in the Delhi assembly election. The counting of votes for the Delhi assembly election is underway. The results are expected to pour in later today.

Delhi chief minister and AAP candidate from Kalkaji assembly seat Atishi after casting her vote for the Delhi election on Wednesday. (ANI)

Atishi stepped into the top role in September 2024 after Arvind Kejriwal resigned, becoming Delhi’s youngest chief minister at 43. She is seeking a second consecutive term from the Kalkaji constituency in the 2025 assembly election, hoping to strengthen her leadership and keep Aam Aadmi Party's governance model intact.

Atishi is up against Congress leader Alka Lamba and BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri in the Kalkaji constituency.

Atishi’s political journey has been built on policy and grassroots activism. She joined the AAP in 2013, helping shape the party’s policies. In 2015, she was at the forefront of the Jal Satyagraha in Madhya Pradesh, standing with activist Alok Agarwal in a fight for water rights.

Atishi's first big test

Her first big electoral test came in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when she contested from East Delhi but lost to the Bharatiya Janata Party's Gautam Gambhir. But she didn’t give up. In 2020, she bounced back, winning the Kalkaji assembly seat by more than 11,000 votes.

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As a cabinet minister, Atishi focused on bringing governance closer to the people, spearheading the Mohalla Sabha Project to empower citizens at the local level. When key ministers resigned in 2023, she was brought into the Delhi cabinet alongside Saurabh Bhardwaj, handling crucial portfolios. This experience eventually led to her appointment as chief minister in 2024.

In the 2025 poll, Atishi banked on her government’s achievements in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. But she also faced tough challenges, including public concerns over roads, sewerage, and water shortages.